Is sedation dentistry right for me?

Dental anxiety is no
laughing matter. Whether you are anxious about a dental visit because you need
extensive work or you are worried about overall pain or discomfort, dental
fears can often be so debilitating that they cause patients to put off needed
procedures completely. But did you know that there are several types of dental sedation and dental techniques available that provide a more relaxed and
comfortable dental experience?

It is important to
remember that dental sedation is not pain management. Dental sedation uses a variety of tools to relax the patient
and in some cases will cause you not to remember a procedure at all. The type of dental sedation that’s right for
you will be determined by the oral care treatments needed, your overall health
and other factors.

Laughing Gas: Despite
its silly name, laughing gas doesn’t make you goofy…but it can make a dreaded
dental procedure more tolerable. Many are familiar with the dental sedation
option of nitrous oxide, which is commonly called laughing gas. Your dentist will fit you with a nosepiece
that will allow you to continually breathe nitrous oxide during your dental
procedure. The gas will relax you, but you will be awake and conscious while
your dentist is working. The effects of laughing gas are not long lasting, and
patients can safely drive immediately following use. Laughing gas can be used
alone or in conjunction with oral sedation, depending on a patient’s needs.

Oral Sedation: Oral
sedation involves a pill or series of pills that a patient takes at a prescribed
time before a dental procedure. Oral
sedation may or may not be used in conjunction with laughing gas. Oral sedation – sometimes called conscious
sedation – uses medication to significantly relax you. In fact, you may not
remember any of your dental procedure at all.
It is important to have someone available to drive you to and from the
dentist if using this dental sedation method, but medication effects will wear
off by the next day.

IV Sedation: When
IV sedation is used for dental procedures, the most common type used is a
“twilight” sedation via IV that completely relaxes you into a sleep-like state
and in most cases allows for no memory of the procedure at all. However, with
twilight sedation you are still conscious, which does allow for the dental care
provider to wake you, if needed. General
anesthesia – where the patient is completely unconscious – can be used for more
complicated or special procedures, but its use is somewhat rare in the dental
industry.

Dental sedation is used by dental health providers to
help patients relax and feel more equipped to handle dental work. Dental sedation is not a pain management
technique, but does help ease the stress often associated with dental
procedures. Dentists and other oral
health care providers often pair oral sedation techniques with other pain
management tools and medications to help minimize the discomfort of dental
injections and other dental work.

Numbing agents or shots
are utilized to ease pain and discomfort during dental procedures. For many, getting a shot in the gums is a
frightening prospect, but the DentalVibe tool can to alleviate
pain associated with dental injections. When used
together, DentalVibe, dental sedation and other pain management
tools can eliminate discomfort and dental anxiety, allowing you to address your
oral health concerns more comfortably.

Ask your dentist about the sedation and pain management techniques
that are right for you. To learn more about painless dental procedures, visit dentalvibe.com

Find a DentalVibe dentist

Make dental fear a thing of the past and get the treatment you need to keep your teeth healthy. Find a dentist in your area who uses DentalVibe.